Lock-protecting device



L. E. BUMPASS.

LOCK PROTECTING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN-13, 192]- 1,413,573. I Patented Apr. 25, 1922.

I/III/IH I ll MM/mm I I dffozmm, S

seamen El assumes, 01' DALLAS, TEXAS.

LOOK-PROTECTING DEVICE.

Original application filed August nary 13, 1921.

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, LEONARD E. BUMPass, a citizen of the United States-0f America, residing at Dallas, in the county of Dallas and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lock-Protecting Devices, of which the following 1s a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This application is a division of my copendin'g application Serial Number 403,739, filed August 16, 1920, for a Means for pro: tecting vaults, safes and the doors thereof." The aforesaid application has been devoted to those features having to do with the protection of vault walls and the present application relates to means for protecting the lock of safes, vaults and the like. Experience has shown that burglars frequently succeed in robbing safes, vaults and the like by knocking off the dials of the combinations lock and then punching the locks mechanism straight through into the body of the safe after which the bolts mechanism controlling the door may be easily operated. I propose to prevent this by disposing rearwardly of the lock a frangible receptacle containing an asphyxiating or other disabling gas which will be released by the breaking of said container if the lock is driven forcibly rearward, said gas thereby serving to disable the burglar and to prevent the carrying out of the robbery. It is particularly an object of the present invention to so correlate the container with the lock mechanisms commonly in use that the invention may be employed in conjunction with safes, vaults and the like at present in use and so that it Wlll not be necessary to specially construct a safe or vault in order to incorporate the invention therein.

The figure shown in the accompanying;

drawing is a horizontal sectional view through a portion of a safe or vaults door illustrating the invention incorporated therein.

In the drawing 5 designates thedo'or of a safe, 6 the usual lock con-trolling dials and Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 25, 1922.

16, 1920, Serial No. 403,739. Divided and this application filed Jan- Serial No. 436,879.

notches are bro iight into alignment a transverse element 8 of a lever 9 may drop into said notches. It is this movement .of the lever 9 that releases the bolt mechanism of the door. It is manifest that if the tumblers 7 be completely removed under the transverse part 8 of the lever 9 the effect will be the same as though all of the notches 7 had been brought into alignment. In other words, the lever 9 may drop. Burglars take advantage of this fact to rob safes by striking off the dial 6 and then punching the spindle 10 straight through into the body of the safe. The lock mechanism is ordinarily disposed in a cavity 11 formed in the door of the safe and access may be had to this cavity by removing a cover 12 which is secured in position by screws 13 and which screws are accessible when the door/of the safe is' open. There is usually very little space rearwardly "of the lock but considerably more'spa'ceis available within the cavity 11 atthe side of the lock. I therefor propose to utilize a container comprising a body portion 14 of considerable capacity and an elongated extension 15, the body portion 14 lying to one side of the body of the lock and the extension 15 projecting into the rear of the lock and in position to be fractured if the spindle 10 is driven rearwzirdlyas above described.

I may increase the space in the rear of'the tumblers by providing the cover plate 12 with an offset portion 12 in which the extension 15 is housed. This container is filled with an asphyxia'ting or other disabling gas such as mustard .gas, under such pressurethat ifthe'container be ruptured the vicinity of'the; lock will be filled with a gas of such nature that no human being could remain in the vicinity of the safe or vault. Thus it willbe seen that very simple means are prov'ided for effectively guarding against rob bery of safes, vaults and the like in the manner above set forth.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the precise construction set forth but that it includes within its purview whatever changes fairly come within either the terms or the spirit of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, what .I claim is:

1. The combination with a door and its lock comprising a tumbler mechanism and a spindle, of a. frangible reeptacl comprig ing, an elongated portion Whieh pi'O ect-Q into the rear of the spindle, and an enlarged body portion which lies to one side of the 5 lockmechanism. Y

2. The combination with a door having a cavity formed therein and a lock mechanism in sald cavity, of a cover plate for said cavity having an offset portion and a container of frangible material filled with gas 3116.; 10 comprising an enlar ed bodyportion and an elongated extension t 1e latter projecting into the ofiset portion of the cover plate and lying in the rear of the tumbler mechanism.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my 15 signature.

LEONARD E. BUMPASS. 

